Torry crumbling concrete cash appeal to new UK government housing boss Angela Rayner

The Tory government had stonewalled appeals for cash to address Raac-riddled housing - will the new Labour administration be any different?

By Adele Merson

July 24 2024, 6:00 am

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is also the housing secretary. Image: Shutterstock.

Labour’s new Housing Secretary Angela Rayner is already facing calls to get to grips with the UK-wide Raac crisis which has hit the Torry community.

Hundreds of council tenants in the Balnagask area of Torry are being relocated after the crumbling concrete was discovered in their properties earlier this year.

So far, neither the UK or Scottish Government has provided any extra financial support to Aberdeen City Council.

Torry Raac repair plans have been revealed. — Properties in Balnagask have been identified as having the crumbling concrete. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson.

The local authority set aside £3 million of its own cash to cover relocation costs.

But the bill for repairing or demolishing the affected homes is expected to run to “tens of millions” of pounds.

Now, newly re-elected Aberdeen South MP Stephen Flynn wants to try again with the Labour government in London.

He said said previous attempts to meet the former Conservative government had fallen on “deaf ears”.

He told the P&J: “I think there needs to be a UK-wide solution put in place and that solution should hopefully provide some funding to mitigate a lot of the uncertainty which has been faced by people who live there.

Mr Flynn added: “It’s a devastating situation for everyone involved. So that was very high up my agenda, which is why I’ve already been in touch with Angela Rayner’s office to try and get that meeting and to get a discussion.”

Former Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and ex-Scottish Secretary Alister Jack ruled out any additional cash from Westminster to rectify the problems while in power.

They said it was for the SNP government and Aberdeen City Council to foot the bill.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (left) and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Image: PA.

The Scottish Government has previously blamed the UK Government for the real-terms cut of almost 9% in their capital budget.

The local authority hopes to have everyone affected by the crumbly material moved out by the end of December, falling short of a previous summer deadline.

Liam Kerr, Tory MSP for the North East, accused Mr Flynn of being more concerned with “stirring up political grievance” than helping constituents.

He has previously called for the Scottish Government to deliver the funding needed.

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